CINCINNATI, Ohio—Mitt Romney stepped up the pace of his campaign yesterday, visiting all four time zones of the continental United States. He spent 80 minutes on the ground in Cedar Rapids at the kind of in-and-out airport rally you can expect to see more on in the final 12 days. He even ate some Grater’s ice cream Rob Portman brought to the airport here last night. What the GOP nominee did not do was speak publicly about the rape comments that created what Richard Mourdock himself last night acknowledged is a “firestorm.”

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THE MOURDOCK STORY IS NOT GOING AWAY—MCCAIN WITHDRAWS ENDORSEMENT (FOR NOW): Speaking with CNN’s Anderson Cooper last night, the Arizona Senator said he would renew his support if Mourdock apologized for what he said. “I think it depends on what he does,” he said. “If he apologizes, and says he misspoke and he was wrong, and he asked the people to forgive him, obviously I’d be the first … I’ve made a few [mistakes], Anderson, and I’ve asked for people’s understanding and forgiveness when I own up to it. It’s when you don’t own up to it that people will not believe in you.” Note that McCain is in on a Florida bus tour as a Romney surrogate, and that he has stops scheduled today in Fort Lauderdale at 10 EDT and in Miami at 12:10. http://bit.ly/RFZsK6

OBAMA TWISTS THE KNIFE—The president has a bully pulpit and a megaphone, and he has every incentive to use this story to prevent women from breaking for Romney—

NEW CAMPAIGN WEB VIDEO TIES ROMNEY TO MOURDOCK: “Mitt Romney’s making headlines with his continued support for this Republican Senate candidate,” the video says. “But Romney’s own running mate Paul Ryan holds the exact same position. Mitt Romney’s solution to extremism against women? Promote the extremists.” http://bit.ly/RFXmde

ON JAY LENO: “I don't know how these come up with these ideas,” Obama said. “Rape is rape. It is a crime. These various distinctions about rape don't make too much sense to me, don't make any sense to me.” http://politi.co/RFYtd3

ON TWITTER: “FACT: Romney is Richard Mourdock’s most prominent supporter, and the star of his latest campaign ad,” @BarackObama tweeted late last night. “RT if you agree: Romney must withdraw his support of Mourdock—who'd force rape victims to bear an attacker's child as ‘God intended.’”

MOURDOCK EXPRESSES REMORSE: An emotional Mourdock spoke to a private dinner meeting of the Hamilton County Republican Party last night in Carmel, Indiana. “Today has not been a fun day,” a teary-eyed Mourdock said, according to a source Manu Raju had in the room. “Professionally, emotionally, it’s been one of the toughest days of my life quite frankly.” More from Manu: “Mourdock expressed remorse to this sympathetic crowd, which gave him a standing ovation. He was introduced by tea party favorite Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), who accused his opponents of ‘twisting’ Mourdock’s words to distract voters. And Rep. Mike Pence, the gubernatorial candidate who called on Mourdock to apologize earlier Wednesday, stressed to the dinner crowd how important it is to elect the GOP Senate candidate.” http://goo.gl/7OtGJ

THE GOP SURVIVAL STRATEGY, per POLITICO’s Manu Raju (who talked with Mourdock and his team yesterday): “Explain his anti-abortion position, which he believes is in line with this conservative-leaning state; apologize if any were offended by his remarks; and hope the controversy blows over or Democrats overreach.” http://goo.gl/l1uGC

Lots more on Mourdock below, including how other Republicans are dealing with it and how it’s playing in Indiana…

ARIZONA SNEAK PEEK – FLAKE KEEPS A DEMOCRAT ON DEFENSE OVER WOMEN’S ISSUES: Republican Jeff Flake uses Richard Carmona’s joke week that the male moderator of an Arizona Senate debate was “prettier” than Candy Crowley in an ad going up today. As the narrator talks, a headline from the Atlantic appears: “…Calls Candy Crowley Ugly.” The script: “Press says that Richard Carmona doesn’t work well with others. He’s called a bully and more. Carmona repeatedly demeans women. He supports Obamacare, job-killing taxes, massive government. Just like Obama. And, Carmona lost his job for letting exploding costs sink a government institution. Just like Obama?” Watch: http://goo.gl/42ty6.

FIRST IN SCORE – WORKERS AT BAIN-CONTROLLED COMPANY HIT ROMNEY: A new ad out from Patriot Majority PAC features employees from Sensata Technologies, a company controlled by Bain Capital, hitting Romney for his involvement with the company. “Mitt Romney is Bain Capital. He created it. Made a fortune from it. Even today remains invested in it. And right now, Bain is shipping jobs to China and forcing American workers to train their Chinese replacements,” the ad’s narrator says. “The week before they came, they took the American flag down that flew outside the plant. And the week after they left, they put it back up. Like we’re supposed to be ashamed that we’re Americans.,” says Sensata employee Tom Gaulrapp in the ad. The ad will air in Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania. http://bit.ly/RFSvZB

OBAMA in FLORIDA, VIRGINIA, ILLINOIS, OHIO: The president starts his day with a 9 a.m. EDT rally in Tampa, Fla., then holds another rally in Richmond, Va., at 1:35 p.m. EDT. He flies to Chicago to vote early at 4:20 p.m. EDT, then holds a rally in Cleveland, Ohio, at 9:10 p.m. EDT.

ROMNEY in OHIO: The GOP nominee spends his day traveling around the Buckeye State, starting with an event in Cincinnati at 11 a.m. EDT. He’ll then hold campaign events in Worthington at 3:10 p.m. and Defiance at 7:35 p.m.

BIDEN in SOUTH DAKOTA: The vice president will travel to Sioux Falls to attend Sen. George McGovern’s funeral, then flies to Oshkosh, Wisconsin for the night.

RYAN in VIRGINIA: He’ll hold two events in the state, one in Bristol at 12:30 p.m. EDT and another in Charlottesville at 6:45 p.m. EDT.

MICHELLE in CALIFORNIA: She speaks at a campaign fundraiser in Los Angeles at 2:15 p.m. PDT then tapes an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”

ANN in FLORIDA: She starts the day at Inspirations Learning Center in Daytona Beach with a visit at 10:15 a.m. EDT, then attend a rally in St. Augustine at 12:10 p.m. EDT and stop by David’s Real Pit BBQ in Gainesville at 2:40 p.m. EDT.

COUNTDOWN: 12 days.

MESSAGING – ROMNEY RADIO ADS ON THE SHRINKING NAVY TO RUN IN NH, FL, VA: It starts with audio from Monday’s debate. “Our Navy now is smaller than any time since 1917. The Navy said they needed 313 ships to carry out their mission; we’re now down to 285. …That’s unacceptable to me,” Romney says. A narrator adds: “To Mitt Romney, that’s a problem. To President Obama, it’s a chance to deliver a punch line: ‘…We also have fewer horses and bayonets.’ The state of our Navy, the state of our entire U.S. military, is crucial for America. Our freedom depends on it. And so do many of our jobs, 3,600 in New Hampshire alone. Does President Obama know how much his defense cuts will hurt us? Sure, his flippant remarks insult Mitt Romney, but do they also expose how President Obama views the world and America’s place in it?” Listen: http://goo.gl/yax1P. The Virginia version says Obama defense cuts would cost the commonwealth 136,191 jobs: http://goo.gl/J5cLr. The Florida version says 41,905 Florida jobs: http://goo.gl/L0VEN.

AIR WAR—

FIRST IN SCORE – 60 PLUS RUNS PRO-ROMNEY MEDICARE ADS IN FLORIDA: The conservative senior’s association is up with a new $255,000 ad buy in the Fort Myers and West Palm Beach markets in Florida, featuring Pat Boone talking up Romney’s stance on Medicare. From the script: “Recently there’s been a lot of talk about Medicare, it’s hard to know who to trust. The fact: Medicare’s going bankrupt. He took over $700 billion from Medicare to pay for his health care law. Mitt Romney will strengthen Medicare so it is there for seniors and our grandchildren. No changes will occur for people over 55 years of age and younger people can choose the care that is right for them. Vote to strengthen Medicare. Vote for Mitt Romney.” http://bit.ly/RG0hmg

PENNSYLVANIA EXCLUSIVE—OUTSIDE GROUPS MOVING MONEY IN AGAINST CASEY: Fight For the Dream PAC is going on air against Bob Casey in Pennsylvania, a race that until very recently wasn't considered competitive. The ad hits him on his ties to Wall Street. "Pennsylvania families are struggling, but where's Bob Casey? Casey backed the Wall Street bailout that allowed millions of bonuses to insurance and bank executive, the same ones we bailed out, the same ones who tanked our economy," a narrator says. "And now they've given Casey over $2 million in campaign cash. Defeat Bob Casey: we need someone who will fight for Pennsylvania families, not Wall Street millionaires." Watch: http://bit.ly/R0OvkU.

WISCONSIN SENATE -- BALDWIN AD CALLS THOMPSON 9/11 AD A 'DISGRACE': Democratic Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin is out with a direct response ad to Tommy Thompson's 9/11 hit, calling the ad false and "a disgrace." "Tommy Thompson's ad is a disgrace. The truth: time and again, Tammy Baldwin has supported honoring victims of 9/11," the ad's narrator says. "And Tommy Thompson? He got a government contract to provide healthcare to 9/11 first responders. But Tommy took advantage, leaving them without the care they were promised. Tommy Thompson personally made over $3 million off the deal. Tommy Thompson should be ashamed." Watch: http://bit.ly/VHKpFW

LATEST POLLS—

AP/GFK NATIONAL: Romney up 2 (47-45). The story focuses on the narrowed gender gap: http://goo.gl/7CGLm.

MORE AMERICANS FEEL BETTER OFF: “For the first time in more than five years, slightly more Americans are feeling financially better off, rather than worse off, compared with a year ago, by 38% to 34%,” Gallup reports this morning. “This represents a significant improvement since May of Obama's first year as president, when the majority -- 54% -- said they were worse off.” http://goo.gl/bQ46D

WASHINGTON POST/ABC TRACKING: Romney up 1 (49-48), which is unchanged from the previous day’s numbers. http://wapo.st/RFOh46

TIME POLL of OHIO: Obama up 5 (50-45). Obama has a 2-to-1 lead among Ohioans who have already voted, 60 percent to 30 percent. The Romney campaign complains that poll included a greater share of Democrats than will vote on Election Day, and they continue to insist that their private internal polling show the race tighter. http://ti.me/RFQZXw

CONNECTICUT HOUSE – NRCC INTERNAL FINDS RORABACK LEADING: Republican Andrew Roraback leads Democrat Elizabeth Esty by 6 points, 45 percent to 39 percent, in the poll: http://goo.gl/4ZPN4. The NRCC is also hitting Esty as one of the “Corrupt Democrats of 2012” in a new web video (exclusive): http://bit.ly/RFUmxx.

ROMNEY TALKER -- HOW HE'D GOVERN: POLITICO's Mike Allen and Jonathan Allen look at the transition operation for a Romney presidency and how they're prepping for the candidate's agenda: "One Republican official who talks frequently to top campaign aides said Romney doesn’t plan 'an ideological crusade — he wants to come across as a problem solver, primarily on the economic side.' 'That’s very different from [George W.] Bush in ’01,” the Republican official said. “Everything Romney does is going to be focused on bringing down barriers to economic growth and providing certainty to businesses on taxes and regulation. He realizes that until you do that, you can’t make a lot of sweeping, revolutionary changes.' http://politi.co/VHD4Gn

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BATTLEGROUND BRIEFING: THE PATH TO 270—

OBAMA DOMINATES SWING-STATE AIRWAVES: POLITICO's Tarini Parti reports on the ad disparities between Obama's campaign and Romney's campaign this month. "In the first three weeks of October, Obama for America has aired over 97,000 TV ads — more than Mitt Romney, Karl Rove’s American Crossroads, the Republican National Committee and pro-Romney super PAC Restore Our Future combined. Obama and his allies have also dominated the airwaves in 13 of the 15 swing media markets, according to information released Wednesday afternoon by Wesleyan Media Project and Kantar Media/CMAG. Meanwhile, Mitt Romney’s expected October ad blitz has yet to strike." http://politi.co/R0TZfs

HARRY REID'S INFRASTRUCTURE HELPS BOOST OBAMA IN NEVADA: The New York Times' Adam Nagourney looks at how Harry Reid's political machine in Nevada helped Obama win the state in 2008, and is the reason Democrats are so optimistic about winning there again this year. "Mr. Reid has spent the last 10 years building a political machine that helped Mr. Obama win Nevada in 2008 and carried Mr. Reid to a re-election victory two years ago that stunned many pollsters. It is widely praised — even by Republicans — as one of the most effective voter-organizing and money-raising political organizations. But the Reid machine is facing its biggest test yet. Mr. Reid’s organization is a large reason that Mr. Obama is favored by many analysts to win narrowly in Nevada, despite what may be the worst economic climate in the nation and a sizable population of voters who, like Mitt Romney, are Mormons." http://nyti.ms/R0ViLw

PALM BEACH COUNTY BACK UNDER SCRUTINY: The Florida county at the center of the recount in 2000 is back in the spotlight again. POLITICO's Andrew Restuccia: " The problem this time: 27,000 filled-out absentee ballots in Palm Beach County that were misprinted and cannot be read by tabulation machines. County officials are having the results from all those ballots copied onto properly laid-out ballots, with representatives from both the Obama and Romney campaigns watching for signs of trouble." http://politi.co/R0Ka1a

Here’s how today’s Des Moines Register’s front page packages the candidates’ visits: “Obama sharpens criticism; He describes ‘Romnesia’ as a tendency by Romney to change his policies and beliefs” and “Romney expresses optimism; Americans can overcome the challenges facing the country, he tells people in Cedar Rapids” (A1: http://goo.gl/5ihUx).

LARRY SABATO’S TEAM DECLARES “REPUBLICANS WILL HOLD THE HOUSE”: The University of Virginia political scientist is already calling it. “While we have been saying the Republicans were heavy favorites in the House for months, this is the first time we’ve said definitively that they will keep the majority,” Kyle Kondik, the House race editor at the UVa. Center for Politics, writes. “Given the topsy-turvy presidential race, it appeared in mid-September that President Obama was building a lead that might actually, through his coattails, put the House in play. But after the presidential race returned to its achingly close state, it’s become clear that while individual races are fluctuating, there’s not a clear wave building for either side…Democrats need a big wave to capture the House: If Democrats were to win all the races that at least lean to them and ALL the leans Republican seats, they would have 220 House seats, or two more than a bare majority. Democrats nearly sweeping all the leans Republican seats is possible, but not plausible, especially with no lift from the generic ballot -- or, it appears, from the top of the ticket.” http://goo.gl/1pwo4

Wall Street Journal: “ Number of competitive Senate races rises; Battles in as many as 10 states now considered up for grabs, Chamber likely to remain closely divided after election.” http://goo.gl/1F7pV

MONTANA SENATE -- JUDGE RELEASES REHBERG BOAT CRASH REPORT: A judge in Montana ordered the release of a report on the 2009 boat crash that involved GOP Senate candidate Denny Rehberg. Per the AP: "District Judge John McKeon said he agrees with prosecutors that many details of the report should not be released due to the state’s constitutional right to privacy. But other aspects the report should be made public, the judge said, citing the public’s right to know. The document was not immediately available. [Former State Sen. Greg] Barkus crashed his boat on Flathead Lake’s rocky shores after a night of drinking on Aug. 27, 2009, injuring his four passengers. Also on board were Rehberg, the wife of Barkus, and two Rehberg staffers, one of whom was in a coma for 10 days." http://bit.ly/R0LdxY

WEST VIRGINIA SENATE – MCCONNELL RAISING FOR RAESE: Minority Leader Mitch McConnell will be in Morgantown this afternoon for a “private roundtable discussion of energy” to benefit Republican Senate candidate John Raese. See the invite: http://goo.gl/fl8dI.

NORTH DAKOTA SENATE—GOP TIES HEITKAMP TO REID: With Rick Berg and Heidi Heitkamp squaring off in their final debate today, the North Dakota Republican Party is releasing a 75-second web video that links the Democratic candidate to Harry Reid. It features a clip of her saying she will vote for Reid to be majority leader if elected and a clip of the majority leader speaking negatively about oil. North Dakota, of course, depends on energy production. And the state has boomed economically because of its oil fields. Watch: http://goo.gl/XPiwH.

MORE ON INDIANA—

BREAKING THROUGH – HOW IT'S PLAYING IN THE HOOSIER STATE—

SPLASHED ON THE STATE’S FRONT PAGES: The Indianapolis Star gives all of A1 to the debacle: http://goo.gl/u92Ja. Here’s the story: http://indy.st/VHIFN5. The banner headline in the Bloomington Herald-Times: “Mourdock’s pregnancy remarks draw fire” ( http://goo.gl/ixWMg). The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette: “Mourdock tries to clarify beliefs; Stands firm, says Democrats twist words” ( http://goo.gl/bE4wD). The South Bend Tribune: “Mourdock stands by his statement; Indiana’s GOP leaders defend their candidate” ( http://goo.gl/Ba9EG). The Terre Haute Tribune-Star leads with an AP wire story under the headline “Mourdock’s debate slip may haunt GOP” and a local story next to it that’s says “Impact hard to predict” ( http://goo.gl/vLLcv).

WTHR (NBC AFFILIATE): Of residents of the deep-red Boone County "many are dumbfounded by Republican Richard Mourdock's comments on rape and abortion," the anchor says. "I can't believe he actually said that out loud, that's exactly what I thought," one pro-abortion rights woman said. "That says a lot in a conservative community where the Ten Commandments are on the courthouse wall. ... from what we're hearing, what voters are telling us, this could be a tie-breaking misstep." http://bit.ly/VHJvsZ

WISH (CBS AFFILIATE): Local reporter, asked if the "firestorm" for Mourdock will die down any time soon: "It has not died down ... and I don't expect that it will die down until after Election Day." http://bit.ly/VHKrh4

VoteVets.org responds to the Mourdock comment by doubling a previous buy. They already spent $300,000 running an ad attacking Mourdock on veterans issues (which we reported). Now they’re teaming up with the United Food and Commercial Workers union to make a fresh $320,000 buy against Mourdock. Watch the ad: http://bit.ly/XjJREf.

HOW OTHER REPUBLICAN SENATE CANDIDATES TRIED TO CONTAIN MOURDOCK DAMAGE—

MANDEL DODGES: Josh Mandel, the GOP candidate for Senate in Ohio, said Wednesday that he hadn’t seen Mourdock’s comments and wouldn’t offer an opinion until he did. “I think I’d want to see his comments,” he told our colleague Dave Catanese. “Is there a video of it? I think I’d want to see the video, see the debate before I comment on that.”

SCOTT BROWN PUNTS ON ENDORSEMENT: Per the Globe: “Brown told reporters during a campaign stop on Wednesday that he is a ‘‘pro-choice Republican’’ and does not share Mourdock’s views. Asked later if he still supported Mourdock’s candidacy, Brown answered that was up to the people of Indiana.” http://bo.st/RG146S

LINDA MCMAHON REPUDIATES: “Richard Mourdock’s comments were highly inappropriate and offensive. They do not reflect my beliefs as a woman or a pro-choice candidate.” http://bit.ly/RG1kTn

TOMMY THOMPSON DISTANCES: The Wisconsin GOP Senate candidate called the comments “really sad.” “I’ve got a wife and two daughters and six granddaughters,” he said Wednesday. “Anything dealing with rape against women is uncalled for. Period. No tolerance whatsoever.” http://wapo.st/RG1Xwa

DEAN HELLER: “Dean Heller disagrees. He does not share these views,” his spokeswoman Chandler Smith told the Las Vegas Review Journal: http://bit.ly/RG1ABK. That didn’t stop the Nevada Democratic Party from launching a microsite calling Heller, Romney and Mourdock the “Extreme Triple Threat” on women’s issues: http://bit.ly/RFThpp.

MONTANA GOVERNOR -- HILL ORDERED TO STOP SPENDING $500K DONATION: Rick Hill, the Republican candidate for governor in Montana, was ordered Wednesday to stop using a $500,000 donation received while the state's spending limits were suspended -- and he must cancel all ads bought with those funds. The Missoulian: "Bullock has argued that the $500,000 donation received by Hill’s campaign illegally exceeds the $22,600 maximum aggregate limit that a political party can give to a candidate for governor. Hill disagreed. He said he legally received the donation Oct. 4 during a six-day window when state contribution limits, including the aggregate one, were struck down by a federal judge and before they were reinstated by an appeals court." http://bit.ly/R0NSrn

FLORIDA HOUSE – ETHICS PANEL HITS RIVERA: The embattled Florida congressman was hit with 11 charges from the Florida Commission on Ethics. POLITICO’s John Bresnahan: “Rivera, who spent eight years in the Florida Legislature before winning a House seat in 2010, is already under FBI investigation, including for claims that he may have secretly financed a candidate in the Democratic primary. Democrat Joe Garcia is challenging Rivera and has made a major issue of Rivera’s repeated ethical and legal problems. Rivera has repeatedly said that he has done nothing wrong, but the ethics commission’s charges against him — which are civil, not criminal — less than two weeks before Election Day could prove damaging. http://politi.co/XjHl0R

2016 – HILLARY FUELS SPECULATION: She tells the Wall Street Journal she’s ruled out running. Then she says, "I will always want to be in service to my country." http://goo.gl/rHgPW

BILL CLINTON cut a direct to camera ad for Obama (released yesterday): “The stuff some folks are saying about President Obama sound kind of familiar,” he says. “The same people said my ideas destroyed jobs—they called me every name in the book. Well we created 22 million new jobs and turned deficits into surpluses. President Obama’s got it right. We should invest in the middle class, education and innovation. And pay down our debt with spending restraint and asking the wealthy to pay a little more. Sound familiar?” http://goo.gl/wzgqQ

LIGHTER CLICKS—

ELIZABETH WARREN did a beer-drinking photo opp at Doyle’s, the famous bar in Jamaica Plain. Here’s what she told the Boston CBS affiliate: "I'm a Sam Adams fan, I'm a Michelob Ultra fan, I'm a Bud Light fan as well!” This 30-second clip is definitely worth the click (watch her face when she’s asked whether she drinks white wine and says “not me!”): http://goo.gl/AmDCR.

JON KARL got Warren on record on whether she might run for president in 2016: "No, no, no, no, no.” http://goo.gl/0b7jz

OBAMA brushed him off on Leno: "It all dates back to when we were growing up together in Kenya…We had constant run-ins on the soccer field. He wasn't very good and resented it. When we finally moved to America, I thought it would be over." Video of the full Leno sit-down [in 5-minute parts]: http://goo.gl/tPNlW.

CODA – QUOTE OF THE DAY: “If I had run and won and beaten [Sen. Pat] Toomey, I would be one of the Democrats people talk about today. I'm not dreaming here. I would be one of the stars of the Democratic Party." –Chris Matthews, on his political prospects. http://politi.co/XjEN2z

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Authors:

About The Author

James Hohmann is a reporter for POLITICO Pro.

He covered the 2012 presidential campaign from start to finish, authoring the daily Morning Score tipsheet for nearly two years as he reported from 23 states over the course of the primaries and general election. Through the fall, he traveled with Mitt Romney.

Hohmann spent 2010 chronicling the Republican Party’s drive to win control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

He arrived from The Washington Post at the end of 2009. Previously he wrote for the Los Angeles Times Washington bureau, the Dallas Morning News and The San Jose Mercury News.

An honors graduate of Stanford University, Hohmann studied American political history. He served as editor-in-chief of The Stanford Daily and wrote an award-winning thesis about the 1976 Republican primaries and the political ascendancy of Ronald Reagan.

Hohmann grew up in Apple Valley, Minn.

About The Author

Emily Schultheis is a national political reporter and author of POLITICO Pro’s daily Morning Score tipsheet. She joined POLITICO as a 2010 summer intern, then filed stories on the 2010 Pennsylvania Senate and gubernatorial races and the 2012 election throughout her senior year at the University of Pennsylvania. Since arriving full-time at POLITICO in summer 2011, Schultheis spent the 2012 cycle writing for the “Burns & Haberman” blog and traveling the country with different presidential candidates. She took over Morning Score in January 2013.

In summer 2013, Schultheis was one of ten American journalists selected for the Arthur F. Burns Fellowship, an international reporting program for young journalists. She spent two months covering the German election in Berlin for POLITICO and SPIEGEL International.

Schultheis began covering politics for The Daily Pennsylvanian, Penn’s student-run newspaper, in 2008, trailing Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton throughout Philadelphia during the lead-up to the Pennsylvania primary. Her work has also appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia City Paper and UWIRE’s Youth Vote ‘08 blog. She graduated summa cum laude from Penn with a degree in English literature in May 2011.

Schultheis, originally from the San Francisco Bay area, now lives in Arlington.